Flying toys



May 26, 1959 R. HAussER ETAL 2,887,819

FLYING TOYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June l, 1955 ffOR/VE K May 26, 1959 R. HAUssl-:R ET AL 2,887,819

FLYING Toys Filed June 1,1955 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTORS ROL F HA (1555@ AND' HANS 'L UD W16 .SCH/ENEA?? United States Patent FLYING TOYS Rolf Hausser, Neustadt, near ICoburg, and Hans Ludwig Schirneker, Detmold, Germany, assignors to 0. & M. Hausser, Neustadt, near Coburg, Germany, a German company Application June 1, 1955,Serial No. 512,462

'Claims priority, application Germany June 5, 1954 9 Claims. (Cl. 4683) The invention relates to a ilying toy which consists of a driving aggregate, for example, in the form of a handle, and a propeller-like gyroscope.

In the known flying toys of this kind, the ying gyroscope of which has for some time past been made by preference of some flexible material such as polyethylene, the climbing power and hovering capacity are dependent upon the inclination of the propeller blades, that is upon the angle at which they are set. According to the steepness of this angle the ying gyroscope when in ilight ascends more or less rapidly, remains hovering in the air for a longer or shorter period and descends more or less rapidly. The toy aircraft hitherto known therefore do not offer a great variety of playing possibilities, insofar as the actual flying performance is concerned. The activities of the child playing with the toy are therefore limited to the manipulation of the driving aggregate.

The invention has for its object to produce a toy aircraft or helicopter, the gyroscope of which ascends quicker or slower, remains hovering in the air for a longer or shorter period and descends quicker or slower as may be required or desired. For this purpose the angle of adjustment of the propeller blades relatively to the plane of the gyroscope is, according to the invention, made variable. Consequently the propeller blades are made adjustable and fixable in their inclined position.

A flying toy constructed according to the invention enables the flying characteristics to be varied, especially as regards the climbing capacity, the speed of ilight and duration of hovering. Consequently the child at play is able, not only to introduce a greater variety in its play and make it more elfective, but it can also adapt the ilying toy to the existing atmospheric conditions.

The invention also makes it possible to develop the dying-toy still further in an interesting fashion. By the possible variations of its flying characteristics the toy can be equipped in an advantageous manner with a parachute which becomes detached during flight. This suggestion according to the invention can be realized in that a parachute provided with a spindle nut can be tted on the central spindle of the flying gyroscope and detached by the difference in the speeds of rotation between the iiying gyroscope and the parachute.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a gyroscope with parachute;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a modified form of construction of a gyroscope with parachute;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a possible means for adjusting the -propeller blades, and

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the Fig. 2 constructionwhen the nacelle is detached from the flying gyroscope.

In a flying toy constructed according to the invention it is possible, according to the inclined setting of the propeller blades, to impart to the flying gyroscope such a strong lifting power that there is a danger of the gyroscope separating from the driving aggregate before it attains the full number of revolutions which the driving aggregate is capable of imparting to it. Therefore another aim of the invention is to minimize the danger and ensure that the gyroscope will only become detached from the driving aggregate after it has reached the maximum number of revolutions.

Figs. 1 to 4 show possibilities which have already been described above, of providing a gyroscope with a parachute which is automatically released in the air The ilying gyroscope is couped with and uncoupled froml a sleeve-shaped member 19 by means of its middle part 1. This member 19 is mounted on an axle 20 of the driving aggregate 21 on which a pull-cord 22 acts.

The middle part 1 is equipped with a screw spindle 23 carrying a disk or spindle nut 24 with internal screw thread, to which disk the parachute 25 accommodated in the sleeve 19 is secured. The parachute carries a doll 27 suspended by threads 26.

For reasons of keeping the drawings clear and simple, the device for setting the angle of inclination of the propeller blades is not illustrated in Fig. 1.

If the pull-cord 22 is operated, the sleeve 19 with the flying gyroscope 1, 2, 3 rotates at a high speed andthe coupling 28 disengages. The parachute then slips 'out of the sleeve and hangs on the underside of the ying gyroscope so that the disk or spindle nut 24 unscrews from the screw spindle 23. The parachute thus becomes free, opens and oatsrslowly back to earth.

In the form of construction illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, the parachute 25 is placed in a nacelle-like housingl 29 to which it is connected by means of threads 30. Its upper end is also connected to a screw piece or spindle nut 32 by a thread 31 serving as a rip cord. This screw piece or spindle nut has, as can be seen from Fig. 2, a screw spindle 23 which is also screwed into a sleeve 33 made in one-piece with the nacelle, so that the parts 32 and 33 bear directly one against the other, i.e., part 32 rests'onl top of part 33. vThe upper end 34 of the screw piece or spindle nut 32 detachably projects into the coupling half of the middle part 1 of the flying gyroscope so that it participates in the rotary movement.

rlhe upper end of the screw spindle 23 carries a caplike attachment 35 which is preferably equipped with several air catching or baille surfaces 36.

The driving aggregate 21 engages by means of a nose 17 formed on the coupling half 14, the counter couplingk half 37 which in this case is mounted on the under side of the nacelle 29.

When the pull cord 22 is actuated the nacelle 29 with the flying gyroscope 1, 2, 3 and the attachment thereon, detaches itself and rises into the air. acting on the baille surfaces 36 of the attachment `3,5

`causes the attachment to rotate only very slowly and consequently the screw spindle 23 fixed thereon to un-I screw from the sleeve 33 of the nacelle 29 so that this drops. While the screw piece or spindle nut 32 at'this v moment still hangs on the screw spindle 23, thethreadf31 acts as a rip cord and pulls the parachute 25 out of the* `nacelle 29. After a few further rotations of the llying gyroscope, the screw spindle 23 unscrews from the screw' piece or spindle nut 32. The parachute is then sepa`' rated from the flying gyroscope and glides alonebackE to earth whereas the flying gyrolscope, according to "the setting of the propeller blades 2,v continueslto ascender iiies'backto earth in aglide. l

The air current stowed in the nacelle 29. The screw piece or spindle nut 32 is placed on the sleeve 33 and by turning the attachment 35 the spindle 23 is screwed into the screw piece or spindle nut 32 and. the sleeve 33.

In the example illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 a cap 38 of particularly practical construction is provided for setting the propeller blades. This cap has two sets of apertures 39 and 40 in its outer edge for maintaining the blades in positions of selected adjustment. Of these sets the former are shallower and wider than the latter, the apertures of the two sets having, respectively,v two different inclinations to the outer edge. The former accommodate the propeller blades when rthey are in vertical position. In both cases the apertures are each provided at their lower edge with a claw or tang 41 narrowing the mouth of the aperture. This makes it impossible for the blades to slip out of their apertures. This apertured construction is shown in Figure 3. When the propeller blades are set at an angle the tangs also serve for supporting the blades. This construction is likewise advantageous from a casting point of view because it enables the caps to be removed from their moulds Without the tangs being any lhindrance and without it being necessary to undercut the two adjoining shaping tools.

We claim:

1. A flying toy comprising a member having adjustable blades, in combination with a member of concavo-convex shape having an edge, a plurality of sets of means extending from said edge for maintaining said blades in positions of selected adjustment, said blades having parts receivable in a selected one of said sets.

2. A flying toy according lto claim 1, in which said plurality of sets of means includes a set of apertures Constructed and arranged for maintaining said blades in one position of adjustment and further includes a set of apertures constructed and arranged for maintaining said blades in a different position of adjustment.

3. A ying toy according to claim 1, in whichl said plurality of sets of means includes two sets of apertures of respectively differing inclinations to said edge.

4. A iiying toy, comprising a driving aggregate constructed as a handle, a propeller-like flying gyroscope having propeller blades and detachably connected to said driving aggregate, and means for adjustably and selectively setting said propeller blades at an angle to the plane of the gyroscope, said means comprising a hood forming part of a cap-like attachment provided at its lower edge with shallow wide apertures for the normal position of the propeller blades and deep narrow apertures for the steep setting of the propeller blades, all of these apertures being each narrowed at its lower edge by a tang projecting into the mouth of the aperture.

5. A ying toy comprising a driving aggregate, a propeller-like flying gyroscope having blades, means for adjustably and selectively setting the angular position of the blades ofthe gyroscope, and a parachute operatively connected to said gyroscope and detachable therefrom during ight, said gyroscope being provided with a central spindle and the parachute with a spindle nut detachable from said spindle by the diierence in the speeds of rotation of said gyroscope and said parachute, the spindle nut being mounted on a nacelle-shaped housing for accommodating the parachute and means adapting said spindle nut to be coupled with and uncoupled from the driving aggregate.

6. A dying toy comprising a driving aggregate, a propeller-like ying gyroscope having blades, means for adjustably and selectively setting the angular position of the blades of said gyroscope, and a parachute operatively connected to said gyroscope and detachable therefrom during flight, said gyroscope being provided with a central spindle and the parachute with a spindle nut detachable from said spindle by the difference in the speeds of rotation of said gyroscope and said parachute, the spindle nut being mounted on a nacelle-shaped housing for accommodating the parachute and means adapting said spindie nut to be coupled with and uncoupled from the driving aggregate, and further means adapting said spindle nut to be slipped loosely on to the middle part of the ilying gyroscope.

7. A flying toy comprising a driving aggregate, a propeller-like ying gyroscope having blades, means for adjustably and selectively setting the angular position of the blades of said gyroscope, and a parachute operatively connected to said gyroscope and detachable therefrom during flight, said gyroscope being provided with a central spindle and said parachute with a spindle nut detachable from said spindle by the difference in the speeds of rotationVV of said gyroscope and said parachute, said spindle nut being mounted on a nacelle-shaped housing for accommodating the parachute and means adapting said spindle nut to be coupled with and uncoupled from the driving aggregate, said spindle being provided with bale means assisting the unscrewing ofthe nut from the spindle.

8. A flying toy comprising a driving aggregate, a propeller-like ying gyroscope having blades, means for adjustably and selectively setting the angular position of the blades of said gyroscope, and a parachute operatively connected to said gyroscope and detachable therefrom during flight, said gyroscope being provided with a rotary attachment, a central spindle mounted on said rotary attachment and said parachute having a spindle nut detachable from said spindle by the diierence in the speeds of rotation of said gyroscope and said parachute, said attachment having baille surfaces to facilitate the unscrewing of. the nut from the spindle.

9. A flying toy comprising a driving aggregate, a propeller-like flying gyroscope having blades, means for adjustably and selectively setting the angular position of the blades of said gyroscope, and a parachute operatively connected to said gyroscope and detachable therefrom during flight, said gyroscope being provided with a rotary attachment, a central spindle mounted on said rotary attachment and the parachute having a spindle nut detachable from said spindle by the difference in the speeds of rotation of said gyroscope and said parachute, said attachment having baille surfaces adjustable in inclination to facilitate the unscrewing of the nut from the spindle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

